Joseph melville shiktst



(No Model.)

J, M. SHINN.

PORTABLE DESK.

No. 362,589. Pate t-Gama 10, 1887.

N PETERs, Fhmo-Liihugqpher, Wnhingtm D (l UNITED STATES PATENT @EErcE.

JOSEPH MELVILLE SHINN, OF ADAMSVILLE, \VEST VIRGINIA.

PORTABLE DESK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 362,589, dated May 10, 1887.

Application filed August 14, 1886.-

To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, J OSEPH MnLvrLLE SHINN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Adamsville, in the county of Harrison and State of West Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Portable Desks, of which 4 the following is a specification.

My invention relates to-improvements in portable desks; and it consists of the peculiar combination and novel construction and arrangement of the various parts for service, substantially as hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved portable desk which can be very compactly and easily folded for storage or transportation; to provide improved means for holding the swinging top of the desk at an inclined or horizontal position, as may be most convenient to the writer or workman; to provide improved means for locking the legs of the table against movement when they have been extended to a certain extent, so that the legs will support thetop very firmly and without any vibrations or shaking, and to provide means whereby the deskcan be adapted for service as a blackboard, all as more fully hereinafter described. V

In the d rawings, hereto annexed, which illustrate a desk embodying my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the same with the top in a horizontal position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the table with the top held in an inclined position. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line x 00 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the device adjusted for use as a blackboard. Fig. 5 is a detached view of one pair of the legs, to show the peculiar form of the same. i

Referring to the drawings, in which like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures, A and A designate the legs of one pair, two pairs of which are provided for my improved table, and which are arranged at" or near opposite endsof the swinging adjustable-top B of the desk. The leg A of each pair is recessed on its inner side edge, asat a, to provide a space or opening, and the leg A of the same pair is recessed on its outer side to form a corresponding cavity, a. By thus recessing the opposite'side edges of each pair each pair.

Serial No. 210,928. (No model.)

of legs I provide projecting tongues a on the legs, which lap over each other and fit into the recessed portions, so that a pivot-bolt, a, can pass through the tongues to pivotally connect the legs A A together and adapt them to be folded oneupon the other or separated, so as to support the top or other devices. The bottom of the recessed portions a and def the legs A A is beveled or inclined, as shown, and the underside of the tongues of the legs are likewise beveled, so that the parts fit very snugly together when the legs are folded one upon the other.

The legs A of each pair are connected '00- gether by means of a transverse bar or rail, 0, which is secured to the outer sides thereof and at the upper ends, so as to lie flush therewith, and the legs A of each pair are also connected together by a similar bar or rail, 0, which is also secured to the outer sides of the legs, but at a very short distance below the upper ends of the same. The legs A and A of each pair are thus connected for simultaneous operation, and they are also mutually braced and strengthened, to add stability to the device.

D designates a receptacle which is arranged between the legs of each pair and is secured to and carried by the legs A of the two pairs, as shown. This box or receptacle is made rectangular in form and it fits closely and snugly between the legs, so as not to interfere with the movements thereof in opening and closing the same. \Vhen the legs A of each pair are drawn away from the legs Ain opening them to support the table, the inner upper beveled angles or corners of the tongues of the legs bear or impinge upon the connecting bars or rails O 0 when the legs have been spread apart a certain distance, so that the movement of the legs is limited in unfolding them, and when the legs are placed on the floor they support the top very firmly. The legs are thus .caused to assume an inclined position and serve to support the top very steadily, and the box or receptacle moves with the legs A of Books orother articles may be placed in this receptacle, and thus be out of the way of the scholar or other person using the desk. I

The swinging top B of the desk is hinged to the connecting-bar O of the legs A by hinges b,of any approved pattern, and this top is connected to the connecting-bar to one side of its middle, so that it will rest very firmly and se curely on the upper edges of the rotary supporting-blocks E. These blocks E are connected to the upper extremities of the legs A of the desk by means of pivot pins or bolts 0, which pass through suitable openings in the blocks and are secured in the legs.

The blocks E are provided with three square sides, which, for the purpose of more clearly defining them, I have lettered c, and the other remaining side, a, of the block is beveled or inclined, as shown. When the blocks are ad- I5 jnsted with either of their square sides 6' uppermost,the top B is supported in a horizontal p0sition,to adapt the device for a work or other table; but when the beveled sides .2 of the rotary blocks E are uppermost the top rests on the said beveled sides and assumes aninclined position, which is very convenient to the person who is engaged in writing, drawing, &c., on the desk.

The blocks are turned or rotated by hand, and the swinging top Bis elevated slightly to adapt the angles or corners of the blocks to clear or pass the same, and when the square sides c of the blocks are uppermost they project above the upper ends of the pivoted legs; but when the beveled sides of the blocks are turned up they lie flush with the edges of the legs, which assume an inclined posit-ion when the legs are separated, as will be very readily understood.

position and rests on one of the square sides e of the rotary blocks, it is locked in place against accidental displacement by means of Suitable locking devices, it, which are of any 4o ordinary or approved pattern, and when the top assumes an inclined position on the beveled sides 0 01 the blocks E the topislocked against movement by a similar locking device, It.

The operation of this part of my invention will be readily understood, and it therefore does not require to be more fully pointed out herein.

The swinging top B is adapted to assume a vertical position, so that its under side will be exposed to view and the lower end thereof bear against the outer surface of the legs and the receptacle D. The under side of this top is coated with silicon, or has any other preferred form of writing-surface thereon, so that the marks that are written upon the same can be very easily erased, the device being thus adapted for service as a blackboard. A swinging board, H, is hinged at one edge to the swinging top near the point where the latter is hinged, as shown, and this board is adapted to fold flat against the top immediately over the coated surface thereof, so that the same is entirely concealed from view. When the swinging board H is folded against the top, it is held in this position bya locking device, it", of any preferred form, and when the swinging \Vhen the top is adjusted to a horizontal top is adjusted to rest on the blocks E the board is carried with the top, and thereby entirel y concealed from view. The inner surface of the swinging board that comes in contact with the top is also coated with the silicon paste or other suitable substance, and when the top is turned to a vertical position the board is disconnected therefrom and adjusted to rest upon the upper edges of the legs and the receptacle, to expose its coated surface to view.

It will thus be seen that I provide an im' proved folding desk which can bevery easily,

rapidly, and conveniently folded together for transportation or storage, and that the device takes up but very little room, as the parts thereof are very compactly arranged. In this position the legs lie or fold upon one another and the top and its board H are turned to a vertical position and rest or bear against the sides of the legs and the receptacle. I also provide simple and effective means for bold ing the top in a horizontal or an inclined po sition, as may be desirable, and the device can be easily converted into a blackboard for the instruction of children or other purposes.

Slight changes in the form and proportion of parts can be made without departing from the principle of my invention.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to provide a folding table or desk co sisiing of two pairs of folding legs, tie-bars connecting the legs, and a top connected to the legs and carried thereby; also,that the legs of the table have been connected by lap-joints and a pivotbolt; and hence disclaim these broad features.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the pivoted legs, the tie-bars connecting the legs at their upper extremities, a receptacle arranged between the legs and rigidly affixed to one of the tie-bars to move with one pair of legs, and a swinging top arranged above the receptacle and hinged to one of the tie-bars at a point beyond the vertical line of the receptacle, whereby the top can be elevated to permit free access to the receptacle and lowered to entirely conceal the latter from view, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the pivoted connected legs, a swinging top carried by the legs, and the rotary blocks having the square and beveled sides pivoted on the legs and adapted to support the top in either a horizontal or an inclined position, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the pivoted logs, the tic-bars connecting the legs, a swinging top hinged to one of the tie-bars, and the rotary blocks pivoted to the logs near the upper eX- trcmities thereof and having the square sides (2', adapted to project above the edges of the legs, and the beveled sides 6-, to lie ilush with the edges of the legs when the latter are extended, substantially as described.

4. A portable desk consisting of the legs having the lapped tongues, thepivot-bolts pass- ICC) ing through the tongues, the tie-bars connecting the legs, a swinging top, the rotary blocks plvoted to thelegs near the upper ends thereof and having the square and beveled sides, and the locking devices for detachably connecting the top to the legs, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

5. lhe combination of the pivoted lcgsA A, the tie-bars O 0, connecting the legs at their upper extremities, a vertical receptacle arranged between the legs and affixed to the tiebar 0 of the legs A, to move therewith, a top hinged near one edge to the tie-bar O and adapted to assume a vertical position, and thereby cause its lower edge'to bear against the receptacle and the legs A, a swinging to detachably connect the free edge of the swinging board to the top, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aifi'xed my signature in pres ence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH MELVILLE SHINN.

Witnesses:

J. WV. MCCOY, RAWLEY MoRRIs. 

